Thermostatic member and supporting-post therefor.



0. O. HATCH.

THERHOSTATIO MEMBER AND SUPPORTING POST THEREFOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1912. 1,1 12,448; Patented 001;. 6, 1914.

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ORVILLE CROM'WELL HATCH, 013 SEATTLE, WASHINGTGN.

THERMQSTATIC MEMBER AND SUPPORTING-P0521 THERETLWIR.

miners.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get 6,

Application filed June 14, 1912. Serial No. 703,706.

To all who-m it may concern:

Be it known that I, OnviLLn CROMWELL lla'rcn, a citizen of the United Eltates, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Thermostatic Members and Supporting-Posts 'lherefor, of which the following is a specilicalion.

The present invention relates to a thermostatic member and supporting post therefor, which are arranged within the interior of a valve casing used with steam heating systems for the purpose of controlling the flow of air and water of condensation from the radiator into the return pipe of the system.

The main objects of the present invention are, to arrange the tl'iermostatic member so that a substantial amount'ol' the surface thereof will be exposed to the action of heating and cooling elements discharged into the valve casing, whereby a suiiicient movement of the thermostatic member is produced by the variations in the temperature within the casing to controlthe flow of air and water of condensation from the interior of the casing; to the discharge pipe of the system in an ei'iicient and desirable manner.

Further objects of the invention. are, to arrange the thermostatic member and supporting post therefor so that the same may be easily removed from the interior of the valve casing; and to arrange a passage through the post leading" to the discharge passage of the heating system whereby the open end of said passage, which commiuiicates with the interior of the valve casinq, is located in a position so that it will not become choked or clogged with dirt or sediment which collects in the lower end of the valve casing. 1

The invention further consists in the features of construction and in the combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

in the drawings, Ydigure l is a Vertical ion of a valve casing having the thermotic member and supporting post therefor ot the present invention arranged therein in operative position; Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified construction of thermostatic member and Fig. 3, a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the directionot the arrow.

in certaintppes of rallies .used in connection with steam heating systems, especially systems of the so-called vacuum type, a thermostatic member is arranged within a suit able valve casing, which controls a passage leading from said casing to the discharge pipe of the system for controlling the flow of air and water of condensation out of the interior of the casing into said return pipe; and this thermostatic member is influenced by the heat conditions within the valve casing, whereby it opens and closes said passage in accordance therewith. The present invention do; is particularly with the arrangement of a thermostatic member for accomplishing this end, and also with the a 'rangemcnt and construction of thepost which supports this thermostatic member.

Referring now to the drawings, a valve casing a is illustrated, which may he of any suitable style and configuration; and in the form shown in the drawings this valve cas ing is closed by a cap 5, and contains an iii-- let passage 3 and an outlet or discharge passage 7, each connnunicating with the interior of the casing. It is understood that the form of. easing may be of any desired type and that the form illustrated in the drawings is not considered to be a. lin'iitation upon the present invention. The casing illu trated is provided with a battle plate 8, which forms a weir whereby a liquid seal is made when water of condensatioi'i enters the easing. The utilization of this weir is not ncc essary lo a practical working of the thermostatic member of the present invention, but by using a weir a column of water is quickly formed in the valve casing, which is a desirable feature, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth. A by-pass 9, controlled hy a needle valve 10, is provided, which permits of the suction of all dirt and sediment out from the lower end of the valve easing into the return pipe of the system. This feature, lumen-2r, is common in the art.

The present invention deals ntirticuiarly with the thermostatic member and the post for supportingthe same. The post consists of an elongated member ll of suitable size and configuration, which is formed with a passage 34 in its lower end communicating with the discharge passage '7, and preferably provided with an aperture 12 adjacent its upper end. 'The passage 1?, is in turnin communication with a cross-passage 3.4:, cornmunicating with the interior of the casing. The cross-passage, 1n the form of device shown in the drawings, is formed in a nipple screw-threaded or otherwise secured adjacent the lower end of the post, and said post is thickened, as indicated at 16, so as to give the necessary amount of metal at this point to lend rigidity to the lower end of the post when the bore or passage 13 is formed therein.

The thermostatic member illustrated in Fig. 1 is formed of two sections or strips one consisting of a strip of thermostatic metal 17 and a strip of thermostatic metal 17, said strip 17 being of higher thermostatic properties than the strip 17, which is bent to pass through the aperture 12, and has one end secured to the body of the post, on one side thereof, by suitable securing means 18, and its other free-end 19 attached to the lever member 20, which, as shown, is pivoted to an arm 21 attached to the opposite side of the post 11 from that to which the end i of the thermostatic member is attached. The

free end 22 of the arm is arranged to control the end of the passage 14.

The operation of this form of device is as follows: Before steam is admitted to the radiator, the interior of the valve is in a relatively cooled condition, and the thermostatic member is shrunk so that the free end is moved inwardly toward the post, such movement of the free end forcing the lever into the position shown in full lines in -Fig. 1, leaving the passage 1 in communication with the interior of the valve casing. When steam is admitted to the radiator, it first forces the air from the radiator into the .valve casing; and this air will flow through the passage 14; into the passage 13 and out through the discharge passage 7. After the air has been exhausted from the interior of the radiator by the incoming steam, steam and water of condensation will pass into the interior of the casing from the radiator. The heated steam, however, will expand the thermostatic member so as to swing the free end into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus moving the lever to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and cut ting off communication between the interior of the valve casing and the discharge pipe of the system, which prevents the escapement of steam through the valve. As the water of condensation collects and rises in the valve casing, it will have a cooling action upon the thermostatic member, returning the member to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and swinging the lever to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, thus uncovering the port or passage 15 and permitting the water of condensation to be sucked or drawn out from the interior of the casing into the discharge passage of the system. As the water of condensation decreases in the valve casing, the thermostatic member will again become heated and expand to actuate the leverand close com munication between the discharge passage and the interior of the valve casing. The action above described will be repeated as long as the system is being used.

In the form of thermostatic membcr illustrated in Fig. 2, the lever 20 is eliminated, this thermostatic member being composed of two sections 23 and 24, fastened together in any suitable manner, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The metal of which the strip or section 23 is composed is of a higher thermostatic efliciency than the metal of which the section 2-1- is composed; that is, the section 23 is more susceptible to the variations in heat and cold. As a result of this, when steam enters the valve casing following the discharge of air therefrom, it will cause the outer section 23 to expand or lengthen, but will have practically no effect upon the inner section 24. Under these conditions, it is obvious that the free end of the thermostatic member will be swung inward, so as to close the port or passage 14. As the thermostatic member cools, the outer section 23 will shrink; and the inner section 24: remaining practically unaffected, it is obvious that the free end of the, thermostatic member will be swung free of the port or P115- sage 1a in Fig. 2, whereby Water of condensation will pass out from the interior of the valve casing in the manner described in explaining the construction illustrated in F ig. 1.

By arranging the thermostatic member so that it lies upon both sides of the post, a great length of said member is exposed to the action of the heating and coolin agencics, and, furthermore, the free em? is removed a substantial distance from the point of attachment, so that the movements of the thermostatic member at the free end are of considerable degree and sufficient to offectively close and open communication through the port or passage 14. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the free end of the thermostatic member is further amplified by being in operative connection with the lever 20.

I claim:

1. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing having an inlet passage and a discharge passage therein, a post within said casing, a passage in said post communicating with the outlet passage, a non-thermostatic pi voted member for controlling the passage through said post, and a thermostatic member attached directly to said 0st and having an operative connection with said pivoted member, substantially as described.

2. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing having an inlet passage and a discharge passage therein, a postwithin said casing, a passage nsaid post communicating with the outlet passage, a non-thermostatic pivoted member for controlling the passage through said post, and a thermostatic member bent to lie upon 0pposite sides of the post, having the end lying upon one side of the post secured thereto, and the free end on the opposite side of the post inoperative connection Wiflj,

said pivoted member, substantially as described. v

3. In a valve of the class described, the

combination of a casing having an inlet pas-' sage and a discharge passage therein, a post within said casing, a passage in said post communicating with the outlet passage, a non-thermostatic pivoted member for controlling the passa'ge through said post, said post having an aperture therein, and a thermostatic member extending through said aperture and bent to lie upon opposite sides of the post, the end upon one side of the post being secured thereto, and the free end on the opposite side of the post having an operative connection to said pivoted member, substantially as described.

4:. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing having an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a member composed of thermostatic material within said casing, a supporting' -post for said m'ember removably secured. within said casing, a passage throughsaid' rpost communicating with and forming a portion of the, discharge passage, and 'also in communication with the interior of the 'casing, a lever of non-thermostatic material pivotally secured to said'ipost, means for securin one end of said thermostatic member to sai post, the free end of said member being secured to one arm of said lever, the other arm of said lever being arranged to have its end controlling the passage through said post, substantially as described.

ORVILLE CROMWELL HATCH;

Witnesses:

EUGENE A. OHILDE, STELLA GAY. 

